…the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

1 John 4:4 

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed- 52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52  

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God."

Revelation 21:3 

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Revelation 21:4 

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. [7Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.]

Revelation 21:5-6 [7]  

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; 16but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to blot out their name from the earth.

Psalm 34:15-16 

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. 11For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.[ 12LORD Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.]

Psalm 84:10-11 [12]  

The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 18The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:17-18 

The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; 20he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. 21Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. 22The LORD will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

Psalm 34:19-22 

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Colossians 4:6 

?"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

John 8:31-32 

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:10 

I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.

Jeremiah 32:40 

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:25-26 

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. 24Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Proverbs 4:23-24 

Guard Your Heart (Proverbs 4:23-24)

| Sep 26, 2020

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Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 24Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. —Proverbs 4:23-24

Matthew says in 6:21: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What I love in my heart, the center of affections, will dictate my words and actions and lead to either freshwater springs of life in Christ, or undrinkable salty waters.

What do I love most of all? As a Christian, the answer must be the Lord who wrote my name in the Book of Life before the beginning of time, called me to faith in Jesus His Son by lifting the scales from my eyes, and pursued me and sealed my faith with the Holy Spirit.

The world is full of distractions and while I am saved, I am far from fully sanctified. I am prone to wander. Therefore, I must guard my heart diligently through discipline in reading and knowing the Word, praying and fellowshipping with other believers, and seeking to grow in my love of the Lord.

If I love the Lord (however imperfectly in this life), I will seek to be more like Him, in thought, words, and deeds by putting off the old nature of devious talk and crooked speech. The Book of James speaks clearly in 3:11: “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and saltwater?”

Our tongues can be tamed to speak from wisdom what is right and true. I do not want crooked speech and devious talk to flow from my mouth that weakens my testimony of faith, hinders my prayers, or causes me to turn my eyes away from the Lord I love.

For Reflection and Application:

  1. Will I now ask the Lord to forgive my careless sinful words?
  2. Am I ready to ask the Lord to do, in and through me, what is the best reflection of Him?
  3. What areas of your life do you long to be more like Jesus and less like the sinful world?

__________________________

Mary Schmuland is wife to Carl for 44 years, a rabid gardener, singer of praise to our Lord, and lover of His Word.

Truth78 publishes curriculum, devotional books, children’s books, church & parenting resources (including Zealous: 7 Commitments for the Discipleship of the Next Generations), Scripture memory tools and other resources designed to equip your home and church for leading children and youth to treasure God.

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A Dad’s Loving Advice (Prov 4:23-24)

| Sep 27, 2015

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Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 24Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. —Proverbs 4:23-24 Fatherly advice is as old as Adam. A blog I read recently asked, “Is fatherly advice still around, or has it become a parenting practice of […]

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